The bigger the problem, the better the story. So says my friend and mentor Dr. Rob Gilbert.
Without the iceberg, there’s no story about the Titanic.
Without her disabilities, Helen Keller becomes just another person.
That brings us to Super Bowl LI, and the avalanche of stories that will come with it.
Chance are that nothing in the next week will approach the story that has already taken place. It involves Matt Patricia, defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots. His story, told in this article in the New York Post, shows that everything you want is outside your comfort zone.
Fresh out of New York’s Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Patricia could have eased into a $100,000-per-year job with Westinghouse. Instead, he followed a dream. He took a job coaching defensive line for Amherst College in western Massachusetts. It paid $6,000.
Patricia kept dreaming big, sending his resume to NFL teams. He got a reply from the Patriots and came aboard. He helped New England win the Super Bowl in 2015 with a last-minute miracle. Patricia had a feeling that the Seattle Seahawks would pass instead of run from the 1-yard-line and 26 seconds left. Into the game he sent defensive back Malcolm Butler, who intercepted a pass to seal New England’s victory.
It all began with a decision to turn down what was easy and to gamble on what was improbable.
Anyone can do it. You can do it. If you burn with passion for something, it can happen.
“The brick walls are there for a reason,” said Randy Pausch, professor and computer whiz who responded to a cancer diagnosis by inspiring others. “The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”
You’ll hear dozens of stories about the Super Bowl. But those stories are about football and football players. Matt Patricia’s story is about you, and what can happen when you dream and let your passion carry you.

*** *** *** *** ***

Thank you for visiting Total Game Plan. If your team, group or business needs a motivational speaker, please email coachtully @ totalgameplan.com. Here are some other resources for your success: